Friday, August 29, 2014

The Things I Learned About Freelance Writing While Working On My Truck

I own an old,
beat-up pickup truck that’s seen better days. It’s got a ton of miles on it,
rust spots and the interior smells like something from a high-school locker
room, but it gets me from A to B. The other day, the thermostat went out, and it
started overheating. I grabbed my tools and went to work on my rusted beauty,
hoping to extend its life just a little longer. While I busted my knuckles and
cussed liberally, I thought about how working on an old pickup truck kind of
relates to freelance writing. These are the things I learned.

1.Regular
Maintenance Means More Money – That old truck of mine has been by my side
for many years. We’ve been through a lot together, and it’s earned its keep
twice over. While working construction, I nurtured that rusted-out old thing so
that it could keep me rolling and earning. The same goes for a freelance
writing career. Maintain your site, your portfolio, your connections and your
clients. Doing so will ensure that they keep you earning far into the future.
Same as my truck.

2.It May
Not Look Pretty, But It Does The Job – My truck is an old, ugly thing, but
it never lets me down, and it does what I need it to do. If you’re just getting
started in freelance writing, your resume and portfolio might look the same
way. It may not look pretty right now, but keep working and never give up, and
it will be up-to-snuff in no time.

3.Don’t Let
Anyone Talk Shit About Your Truck Or Your Writing – All my buddies tell me,
“Damn Mikey, you need to get a new truck”. To which I reply, “If she still
runs, then she’s still my baby”. Constructive criticism is great. Use it to
make your writing better. But beware the haters. They are, unfortunately,
everywhere nowadays. Don’t let them rain on your parade and definitely don’t
take what they say to heart. The green-eyed monster is an evil thing and rears
its head at any opportunity.

4.Be Proud Of
Your Truck And Your Writing – My truck ain’t the prettiest thing. It sounds
horrible, looks rough and the ride is terribly uncomfortable. But I’m proud of
it all the same. And you should be proud of your freelance writing
accomplishments, even if they seem small. Feel good about every step you take
closer to your dream. It’ll make waking up in the morning and starting again
that much easier.

5.Never
Give Up On Your Truck Or Your Dream – Everybody is always trying to get me
to buy a new truck. I can afford to, but that ain’t the point. That old thing
has seen me through some tough times, so I will not get rid of it willy-nilly.
The road to success in freelance writing is similar. There will be hard times
and good times. People will question your career choice and try to convince you
to trade-in for a better model. If you have the entrepreneurial spirit and
freelance writing is your dream, don’t settle for less. Even if the future looks
like a beat up old pickup, keep plugging away and eventually you’ll wake up with
more work than you know what to do with.

It’s funny to me how seemingly different things in life can
relate closely to one another. My pickup is a great parallel to how my
freelance writing career has grown, faltered and rebounded. I’ve navigated the same bumps and detours that required an alternate route in my truck as I have in my
career. Obstacles will jump out at you, impede your progress, but the key is
not to avoid them as much as overcome them. When it looks like your truck is
about to break-down, don’t give up, do a bit of maintenance, and I’m sure you’ll
have it up to speed in no time.

Hi Susan,You'll do great. Just keep trying and don't let anybody get you down! Feel free to contact me with any questions either through the contact form or on the forum. I always try to answer as quickly as possible. Good luck!

Love this! I definitely feel like my career is like your old truck sometimes. As you said, the pressure from all sides to trade it in for a shiny full-time, corporate, stable job with benefits is enormous. Some days I give in and go job hunting. Some days I get inspired by other writers. Today is one of those days. Thank you for sharing!

Awesome, Wendy! And, I'll tell you, I deal with those same struggles every day, even after 5 years of freelance writing. The ups-and-downs will always be there, it's how we deal with them that defines us. So glad that you found this article helpful, and it kept you writing for another day! Here's to your success as a freelance writer!